“Dillon, what's wrong? Are you okay?”
“Yeah. Just shaken up.”
“Amy Frank, your prescription is available for pick up,” blares a female voice over the store intercom.
“That’s me,” she says with an easy smile. We walk over to the pharmacy window together.
“Insurance?” the Pharmacist asks.
“I’ll pay cash,” I tell the Pharmacist.
As I’m paying the lady and Amy is occupied with reading about her prescription, I get that feeling again. I turn my head quickly, and see a figure just as he turns down the aisle. It was a tall thin man in a suit. I could hear his boots tapping across the hard floor. Then, he was gone.
I glance at Amy to make sure she didn’t see him. She’s still studying the pamphlet that came with her prescription.
As we leave the store, I glance around, but I don’t see anyone. Once we exit to the parking lot, I notice the truck is gone.
As soon as we get back to the ranch, I dig out Detective Douglas’s business card and leave a message. I know it was the guy. I want him to check on Alex Schafer’s son to see if the truck description matches.
I’m paranoid and scared as hell, but I try to stay as calm as possible around Amy.
CHAPTER 18
Amy
“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” Dillon asks for the third time.
“Yes. I want to meet your friends and I’ve never been to a bonfire. I think it’ll be fun. It counts as my first college party experience,” she says excitedly.
“Candice might come. I had to include her. These are the friends we hung out with all through college. Are you going to be uncomfortable?”
“No. I swear. It’ll be fine. I know you’re still friends.”
Ray decided to head back to Denver to tie up some loose ends with his book. He left this morning with Laney and Daisy. Just as we finished up with the horses, Dillon got a call from his friend Danny. They’ve been having these bonfires every month since graduating. Danny wanted to know if it was still going on tonight. Dillon didn’t think I would want to have a bunch of people over, but I told him I’m ready. I’m actually really excited.
We spend all day cleaning up the barn and then mixing up their favorite college punch. It’s vodka, beer and a lemonade mix all dumped together in a giant bowl. I’ve never had alcohol before, but it smells good, so I’m excited to try it. Dillon gets the fire going when it starts to get dark, and turns the music on in the barn. We fill up our glasses and sit by the fire waiting for his friends.
“Cheers to your first near college experience,” he says and raises his cup.
“Cheers!”
We bump red cups and I take a big sip of the punch. I have to squish my lips together and squeeze my eyes closed. It doesn’t taste as good as it smells.
“This is really gross.”
“Believe me, after one cup, it won’t matter. You have to be careful you don’t drink too much. It’ll start going down really easy.”
As soon as I see the headlights from a car pull onto the property, I start shaking and start to feel flush. I’m extremely nervous to meet Dillon’s friends. I checked myself in the mirror a dozen times. I’m wearing a cute short jean skirt and a pink button down shirt. I have my hair hanging down in loose waves, and I used Laney’s makeup to add a touch of mascara and lip gloss. I feel good, but I’m still so incredibly nervous. I just want to fit in. Dillon squeezes my hand and kisses my cheek to calm my nerves. He keeps my hand in his and walks me over to his friends. I take a few more sips of the punch before we approach them.
“Hey guys.” Dillon gives Danny and Ben quick man hugs and then kisses Tess and Katelyn each on the cheek.
“Guys, this is Amy.”
“Amy, this is Danny, Ben, Tess and Katelyn.” He points to each of them.
Danny looks like your typical cowboy. He’s tall and built like Dillon and dressed in denim, flannel and a typical cowboy hat and boots. His girlfriend, Tess, is pretty, with long brown hair braided down her back. She doesn’t wear a lot of makeup, and she’s dressed simply, in a pair of jeans and a v-neck t-shirt. Danny and Tess dated all through college. Ben and Katelyn have been dating for just over a year. Ben looks more like a salesman rather than a rancher. He’s very clean cut and wears a cotton shirt with a collar and a pair of khaki pants. Katelyn is Candice’s best friend, and they look like twins. They both have long bouncy blonde hair and curvy bodies. As nervous as I am, they all seem super friendly and seem happy to meet me. Candice isn’t with them. Dillon wasn’t sure whether she’d show up or not.